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The Sacramento area received about an inch to an inch and a half of rain Friday. Rain totals weren't as impressive in the San Joaquin Valley, where Stockton received a half inch of rain and Modesto got only .19 of an inch.

Lightning caused power outages in the Sacramento area Friday morning. A lightning strike was blamed for damaging a SMUD substation that knocked out power to thousands in the Land Park area.

At least three Sacramento schools, including Sacramento City College, reported power outages.

But the rain was mostly a welcome sight after weeks of dry weather. The rainfall, however, isn't expected to make a significant dent in California's historic drought.

It would take 150 percent of the average rainfall for California to recover from the dry period, state water resource officials say. But snow is more important than rain because snowpack supplies about a third of the water needed by residents, agriculture and industry.

Sierra snow levels dipped down to as low as 6,000 feet Friday evening, but as of Saturday morning the snow levels were up to 7,500 feet. Chain controls were not in effect.